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Same Cheetahs again for Rebels

Tue, 25 Feb 2014 09:58

Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has gone for consistency and selected an unchanged 23-man matchday squad for the Super Rugby clash with the Rebels in Melbourne on Friday.

Drotske has rewarded his squad for their 15-9 victory over the Bulls at home last week and hasn't felt the need to make any changes.

Springbok prop Trevor Nyakane remains on the bench after the strong early-season showings of Caylib Oosthuizen.

While the Cheetahs will be hoping their exciting back three of Willem le Roux, Raymond Rhule and former Springbok Sevens star Cornal Hendricks, get more of a chance to attack with ball in hand than they did in the pouring rain last week against the Bulls.

Drotske's men have never lost to the Rebels, having tasted victory in all three encounters between the two sides.

Last year the Cheetahs won 34-16 in Bloemfontein, while in the previous meeting in Melbourne in 2012, it took an injury-time try from Piet van Zyl to eventually secure a 33-26 triumph.

The men from Bloemfontein will be looking to start their four-match Australasian tour on a positive note in Melbourne before they go on to play the Reds, Hurricanes and Blues before returning home for their bye.